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| Head First Java, 2nd Edition | 
 enlarge | Authors: Kathy Sierra, Bert Bates
Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
Category: Book
List Price: $44.95
Buy New: $24.67
You Save: $20.28 (45%)
Buy New/Used from $21.47
Avg. Customer Rating:  (213 reviews)
Sales Rank: 1902
Format: Illustrated
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Edition: 2
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 720
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.9
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 7.9 x 1.4
ISBN: 0596009208
Dewey Decimal Number: 005.133
EAN: 9780596009205
ASIN: 0596009208
Publication Date: February 9, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Learning a complex new language is no easy task especially when it s an object-oriented computer programming language like Java. You might think the problem is your brain. It seems to have a mind of its own, a mind that doesn't always want to take in the dry, technical stuff you're forced to study.
The fact is your brain craves novelty. It's constantly searching, scanning, waiting for something unusual to happen. After all, that's the way it was built to help you stay alive. It takes all the routine, ordinary, dull stuff and filters it to the background so it won't interfere with your brain's real work--recording things that matter. How does your brain know what matters? It's like the creators of the Head First approach say, suppose you're out for a hike and a tiger jumps in front of you, what happens in your brain? Neurons fire. Emotions crank up. Chemicals surge.
That's how your brain knows.
And that's how your brain will learn Java. Head First Java combines puzzles, strong visuals, mysteries, and soul-searching interviews with famous Java objects to engage you in many different ways. It's fast, it's fun, and it's effective. And, despite its playful appearance, Head First Java is serious stuff: a complete introduction to object-oriented programming and Java. You'll learn everything from the fundamentals to advanced topics, including threads, network sockets, and distributed programming with RMI. And the new. second edition focuses on Java 5.0, the latest version of the Java language and development platform. Because Java 5.0 is a major update to the platform, with deep, code-level changes, even more careful study and implementation is required. So learning the Head First way is more important than ever.
If you've read a Head First book, you know what to expect--a visually rich format designed for the way your brain works. If you haven't, you're in for a treat. You'll see why people say it's unlike any other Java book you've ever read.
By exploiting how your brain works, Head First Java compresses the time it takes to learn and retain--complex information. Its unique approach not only shows you what you need to know about Java syntax, it teaches you to think like a Java programmer. If you want to be bored, buy some other book. But if you want to understand Java, this book's for you.
Amazon.com Review
It has taken four years, but with Head First Java the introductory Java book category has finally come of age. This is an excellent book, far more capable than any of the scores of Java-for-novices books that have come before it. Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates deserve rich kudos--and big sales--for developing this book's new way of teaching the Java programming language, because any reader with even a little bit of discipline will come away with true understanding of how the language works. Perhaps best of all, this is no protracted "Hello, World" introductory guide. Readers get substantial exposure to object-oriented design and implementation, serialization, neatwork programming, threads, and Remote Method Invocation (RMI). Key to the authors' teaching style are carefully designed graphics. Rather than explain class inheritance (to cite one example) primarily with text, the authors use a series of tree diagrams that clarify the mechanism far more succinctly. The diagrams are carefully annotated with arrows and notes. Also characteristic of the unique teaching strategy is heavy reliance on exercises, in which the reader is asked to complete partial classes, write whole new code segments and do design work. Though there's little discussion of why the exercises' correct answers are what they are, it's clear that the practice work was carefully designed to reinforce the lesson at hand. If you've waited this long to give Java a try, this book is a great choice. --David Wall Topics covered: The Java programming language for people with no Java experience, and even people with no programming experience at all. Key concepts read like a list of Java features: Object oriented design, variable type and scope, object properties and methods, inheritance and polymorphism, exceptions, graphical user interfaces (GUIs), network connectivity, Java archives (JAR files), and Remote Method Invocation (RMI).
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| Customer Reviews: Read 208 more reviews...
 look before you buy October 30, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Although I have granted this book 4 stars -- a pretty favorable rating -- mine is another one of those dissenting opinions you will see in the current set of reviews.
I have given 4 stars because I think the Head First folks' aims are laudable; however (and this is a big however), for me the approach simply doesn't work, and I feel as though if I'd spent a little time with the book prior to ordering it I would have given it a miss.
My point here is that since it is the approach that is the real selling point here, it's worth your while trying to figure out whether the approach works for you or (as it did in my case) gives you a headache, and makes you wish for more traditional, meaning-bearing prose.
The harsh version of what I am fumbling towards saying here is that, for me, this book is the triumph of widgets. I recall a Perl 5 book from some years back that I used and liked ... but I recall detractors (the author, a really fine and well-known writer on Perl, included) saying that the book had been near-ruined with text widgets and icons and other such stuff. The Head First books, while not ALL widgets, tilt the scale massively in favor of the visual, tricky, goofy, funny [insert more terms here] approach, in a self-proclaimed effort to entertain you into learning.
There is a part of me that can grok that and applaud this, but when it comes down to brass tacks, it just doesn't work for me. And when I say "doesn't work," I am not even considering the question of whether the content is reasonably complete (other reviewers have pointed out that things may get dropped or glided over in th is process, with confusing results for learners). No, I mean "doesn't work," in the sense that I am not sure what to do with it. As an example, there are several "Code Magnet" sections in this book. The conceit is simple: mix and match these jumbled code fragments, as if they were "magnetic poetry" on a refrigerator, so that together they form a program that outputs the desired stuff.
This is a cute, attractive idea that a majority of readers can probably relate to -- but what is one supposed to do with a paper page of "code magnets." Is the reader supposed to tear the page out? type all the code in and mix it around? It doesn't appear to be in the downloadable code for the book ... OH, well it seems O'Reilly sells the code magnets, for $19.95 / set. Hmm.
Honestly, I didn't know that last fact until I started this review. I'm not trying to be awfully snarky here, but I think the whole thing would work better as an interactive CD-ROM. It's hard for the activities to reach out and grab you (crossword puzzles work okay, I guess, but their pedagogic value is pretty small) when they're confined to paper.
In short, try this thing first. If you like it, by all means go for it. I didn't like it, and I have reservations about whether it really works in its current form.
 Excellent Book!! September 17, 2008
Pretty good book for those whom Programming is difficult to understand. You will be doing an excellent purchase.
Great Book September 15, 2008
I had to get this book for an Intro Java class I'm taking. The "teacher" is basically reading the book as part of his lessons. I've learned more from this book than I have from the "teacher". This book has a unique approach to teaching programming, and so far I think it's working. Other programming books I have read, are really dry and boring, this book is the opposite.
 Not up to date with Java 6.0! September 6, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is a good beginners' book. It is, however, 3 years old and does not cover the latest version of Java, 6.0. According the publisher, O'Reilly Media, the authors consider Java 6.0 to be similar to version 5.0 and thus not worth a new edition. The next edition is scheduled for 2010, when Java 7.0 comes out. On the other hand, the authors did not really cover all the new 5.0 features in this second edition. In particular, enum is relegated to the appendix! I am not sure how much update one can realistically expect in the 3rd edition.
Good basic text September 2, 2008
As a computer science teacher I am always on the lookout for introductory texts that make Java less intimidating. Head First Java certainly fills the bill with a good mix of humor and content. My only objection (and it is very slight) is that it tends to get a bit "thick" in sections -- nothing a final edit couldn't easily fix.
On the whole, however, a very good job.
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